Goals and frameworks in a Totara LMS

Freed from rigid processes your Totara LMS can encompass the full spectrum of performance management practices.

Survey results indecate that traditional annual performance reviews are both flawed and disliked by managers and staff alike. Their rigid nature and confrontational approach too often releys on a managers subjective personal perception of an employee. Such subjectivity can inadvertently introduce biases and overlook the nuances of an employee’s performance.

A more effective approach to performance management takes the form of continuous feedback, which surfaces issues and positive behaviors earlier and ensures that everyone is on the same page. When performance is managed effectively, it has a positive impact on
motivation, engagement and job satisfaction.

So what practical steps can an organisation looking to embody modern performance management processes take?

66% OF EMPLOYEES

were strongly dissatisfied with their last performance review experience, according to a survey of Fortune 1000 companies conducted by the Corporate Executive Board (CEB).

Establishing a clear vision

If you are going to inspire and motivate people across your organisation your vision must be carefully considered and compelling to appeal to all roles and responsibilities geograpghically.

What is the organization’s primary purpose?
What are its core values?
What do we want to accomplish
over the longer term

SMART goals

SMART goals are structured using a set of criteria to improve the chances of accomplishing that goal. They provide employees and their managers with focus and direction, and can be a useful motivator. They can also be mapped to specific learning activities, such as courses, seminars or coaching, to ensure the success of the goal

SPECIFIC

– describe your goal using a high-level mission statement that covers the 5 Ws of who, what, when, where and which.

MEASURABLE

– what metrics will you use to determine success?

ACHIEVABLE

– set goals that are attainable and realistic

RELEVANT

– ensure the goal aligns with broader business objectives

TIMEBOUND

– make sure these are motivating, not stressful – if the target date proves too stressful, it may be a sign that the goal is not achievable or relevant

Totara Performance Video Guides

Totara features to achieve those Performance Goals

Goals

Competencies allow you to map skills to people, and then map competencies to various forms of achievement, including courses, other competencies and manual ratings (when a user or manager rates a competency level). By setting up achievement paths you can decide how competencies are achieved.

Building new competencies involves creating or editing a competency framework for your competency to sit in, then creating competency scales and competency types to use with your competency item.

Once you have created one or more competencies in Totara Perform you can then use competency assignments to assign these to individual users or to groups of users via audiences and positions.

Frameworks

Performance activities are very flexible to suit your needs. These activities are how you carry out various performance tasks including appraisals, check-ins and other feedback.

You can pull in content from other parts of the site, such as goals, competencies, evidence and learning – to get a thorough review of your people and what support they might need to achieve their full potential.

The performance management tools you need for a highly productive workforce

Flexible approaches enables both traditional and continuous performance management processes
Better alignment bring company, team and individual goals together
Skills-based learning
Competency profiles offer a personalised plan for learning and development
Supportive environments build a coach-mentor culture with check-ins, reviews, and fast feedback

Read our “Totara Perform features guide” guide pdf.

Quick Perfom video guides

From hierarchical goal frameworks, performance scales and goal-based reporting these videos provide guides on how these work within the Totara LMS. Feel free to dip into the videos most relevant to you.

Case studies

We’ve collaborated with top organizations across diverse industries. Read some of our customer success stories and discover why people partner with Cortexa.